Method and apparatus for capturing image in portable terminal

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to a method and an apparatus for capturing an image in a portable terminal. Upon receiving an image for preview and an image for capture simultaneously by a camera module, the controller simultaneously outputs the image for the preview and the image for the capture to a main controller during a simultaneous output mode. The received image for the preview is displayed and stored for a predetermined time period for a subsequent retrieval, so that when a capture key is pressed to capture a target object, the stored image corresponding to a time point at which the capture key is activated is retrieved and stored.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/219,915 filed on Aug. 29, 2011 which claims priority under 35 U.S.C.§119(a) to a Korean Patent Application entitled “Method and Apparatusfor Capturing Image in Portable Terminal” filed in the KoreanIntellectual Property Office on Aug. 30, 2010 and assigned Serial No.10-2010-0084208, the contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a portable terminal, and moreparticularly to a method and an apparatus for capturing an image in aportable terminal.

2. Description of the Related Art

A portable terminal is an electronic device providing a function inwhich a user exchanges voice and data communication with another userwhile the user is moving. With the diversification and development of anenvironment for mobile communication, the user may now use an Audio OnDemand (AOD) or Video On Demand (VOD) services to communicate withanother user in real-time through the use of a camera installed in theportable terminal, download and play a game application, or watchDigital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) by using a DMB receiver.

When the portable terminal enters a capture mode for capturing an image,the camera module is driven to change to a preview mode. Next, an imageprovided by the camera module is displayed by a display unit of theportable terminal.

When a capture key (e.g. a shutter key) for capturing an image (e.g. astill image) is pressed in the preview mode, the camera module capturesan image only after being changed from the preview mode to the capturemode. At this time, the camera module needs a predetermined time periodto be changed from the preview mode to the capture mode.

For example, the camera module needs 300 to 700 ms to be changed fromthe preview mode to the capture mode, and this time period implies thata delay of 300 to 700 ms occurs between a time point of the user'spressing the capture key and a time point of actually capturing an imageby the camera module.

Namely, due to a shutter lag phenomenon caused by the delay resultingfrom the above mode change, inconvenience is caused to the user in thatwhen capturing an image, he/she cannot but capture a target at a desiredtime point.

Therefore, there has been a need for solving the above shutter lagphenomenon as soon as possible.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method and an apparatusfor capturing an image in a portable terminal, by which it is possibleto solve a shutter lag phenomenon caused by a mode change in a cameramodule when capturing an image.

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a method forcapturing an image in a portable terminal includes: identifying anoutput setting when entering a camera mode; receiving an image forpreview and an image for capture by controlling a camera module tosimultaneously output the image for the preview and the image for thecapture when the identified output setting is a simultaneous outputmode; and displaying and storing the received image for the preview fora predetermined time period, and when a capture key is pressed tocapture a target object, the stored image corresponding to a time pointat which the capture key is pressed is retrieved as the target object.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatusfor capturing an image in a portable terminal includes: a camera modulefor converting a light signal received through a lens to an electricalimage signal and then outputting the electrical image signal; and acontroller for controlling a camera module to simultaneously output animage for preview and an image for capture when determining that anoutput setting is a simultaneous output mode, and receiving the imagefor the preview and then displaying the received image for the previewthrough a display unit, wherein when a capture key is pressed to capturea target object, the stored image corresponding to a time point at whichthe capture key is pressed is retrieved as the target object.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an apparatusfor capturing an image in a portable terminal includes: a camera modulehaving a simultaneous output mode and a single output mode, a memory;and a controller for controlling the camera module to simultaneouslyoutput an image for a preview and for a capture during the simultaneousoutput mode, and displaying and storing the received image for thepreview for a predetermined time period for a subsequent retrieval,wherein when a capture key is pressed, capturing a target object inreal-time using the stored received image a time point at which thecapture key is pressed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other exemplary features, aspects, and advantages of thepresent invention will be more apparent from the following detaileddescription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a portableterminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a method for capturing an image accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are illustrative views showing a method forcapturing an image according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a portableterminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.Although devices, including a GPS (Global Positioning System) module, acamera module, a Bluetooth module, a Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) module,an acceleration sensor, a proximity sensor, a Geo-magnetic sensor, a DMB(Digital Media Broadcasting) receiver, etc., which may be included in aportable terminal, are not shown in FIG. 1, it should be apparent tothose skilled in the art that these devices may be included in aportable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention in order to provide the relevant functions of these devices.

The portable terminal according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, which is a mobile electronic device, may be either avideophone, a mobile phone, a smart phone, an IMT-2000 (InternationalMobile Telecommunication 2000) terminal, a WCDMA (Wideband Code DivisionMultiple Access) terminal, a UMTS (Universal Mobile TelecommunicationService) terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a PMP (PortableMultimedia Player), a DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) receiver, aPC (Personal Computer), a desktop computer, or a laptop computer.

Referring to FIG. 1, a wireless transmitter/receiver 23 includes an RF(Radio Frequency) unit and a modem (modulator/demodulator). The RF unitincludes an RF transmitter for upconverting the frequency of a signal tobe transmitted and then amplifying the frequency-upconverted signal, anRF receiver for low-noise amplifying a received signal and thendownconverting the frequency of the low-noise amplified signal, etc. Themodem includes a transmitter for encoding and modulating a signal to betransmitted, a receiver for demodulating and decoding a signal receivedby the RF unit, etc.

An audio processor 25 may include a codec (coder/decoder), which mayinclude a data codec and an audio codec. The data codec processes packetdata, etc., and the audio codec processes audio signals including voice,a multimedia file, etc. The audio processor 25 converts a digital audiosignal, which has been received by the modem, to an analog signalthrough the audio codec, and then reproduces the analog signal. Also,the audio processor 25 converts an analog audio signal, which isgenerated from a microphone, to a digital audio signal through the audiocodec, and then transmits the digital audio signal to the modem. Thecodec may be separately provided, or may be included in a controller 10of the portable terminal.

A key input unit 27 may include keys for inputting numbers and textinformation and function keys for setting various functions, either atouchpad or the like. When a display unit 50 according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention is implemented by a touchscreen, thekey input unit 27 according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention may be excluded from the configuration of the portableterminal, or may include only a preset minimum number of keys.Therefore, the display unit 50 may replace some of key input functionsof the key input unit 27 by the functions of itself.

A memory unit 30 may include a program memory and a data memory. Theprogram memory stores programs for controlling a general operation ofthe portable terminal. The memory unit 30 according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention may include external memories,including a CF (Compact Flash) memory card, an SD (Secure Digital)memory card, a Micro-SD (Micro Secure Digital) memory card, a Mini-SD(Mini Secure Digital) memory card, an XD (Extreme Digital) memory card,a memory stick, etc.

The display unit 50 may be implemented by an LCD (Liquid CrystalDisplay), and/or an OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode, such as either aPMOLED (Passive Matrix Organic LED) or an AMOLED (Active Matrix OrganicLED)), and outputs various pieces of display information provided by theportable terminal. When the display unit 50 according to an exemplaryembodiment of the present invention includes a touchscreen, it may serveas an input unit for controlling the portable terminal, together withthe key input unit 27.

A camera module 60 converts a light signal, which is received (or iscaptured) through a lens, to an electrical image signal, and thenoutputs the electrical image signal. The camera module 60 includes alens (not shown) for collecting light and then delivering the collectedlight to a camera censor, the camera sensor (not shown) for converting acaptured light signal to an electrical image signal when capturing animage, a camera memory (not shown) capable of temporarily storing acaptured image, a flash (not shown) providing an appropriate amount oflight depending on an ambient situation when an image is captured, and acamera controller 6 for controlling an overall operation of the cameramodule 60 and converting a captured analog image signal to digital datathrough the camera sensor.

Specifically, the lens may include at least one lens. The camera sensormay be either a CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) sensor, a CMOS(Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) sensor or the like. The cameracontroller 61 may be implemented by either an ISP (Image SignalProcessor) or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). In this case, the camerasensor and the camera controller 61 may be implemented as one unit, ormay be implemented as separate elements.

The flash corresponding to a component of a camera uses, as a lightsource for capture, discharge light which is instantaneously generatedwhen a high-voltage DC (Direct Current) current flows through a xenondischarge tube. Although the flash is usually called strobo, the name“strobo” is a brand name, and is also called electronic flash or speedflash. The DC electricity of high voltage, which is a power source ofthe flash, is obtained by raising the voltage of DC electricity oflaminated batteries to necessary high voltage. The types of flashes mayinclude a clip-on type having a GN (Guide Number) ranging from 14 to 30and a clip type having a GN ranging from 30 to 50. Since a typicalduration of the light impulse is very short (i.e. about 1/1,000 second)and is as bright as white light (i.e. natural light), the flash servesas a main light source of artificial light.

The camera controller 61 controls the camera module 60 to output animage, which has been captured (or received) through the lens, thecamera sensor, etc., to the controller 10, as an image for capture.Namely, the camera controller 61 captures an image by using a setting(e.g. a capture resolution), and includes a codec capable of compressingthe captured image to either a JPEG (Joint Photographic Coding ExpertsGroup) format or an MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) format, which issuitable for being processed by the controller 10 of the portableterminal. Then, the camera controller 61 may output the image, which hasbeen compressed in the JPEG or MPEG format by the above codec, to thecontroller 10 of the portable terminal through the codec.

Therefore, in an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an imagefor capture is an image captured by using settings (e.g. settingsrelated to capture including a resolution, an aperture value, anexposure value, etc.) selected by the user with the pressing of thecapture key. Namely, it signifies an image obtained by compressing (orconverting) the image, which has been captured through the lens, thecamera sensor, etc., to a format, such as the JPEG or MPEG format, whichcan be processed by the controller 10.

On the other hand, the camera controller 61 controls the camera module60 to output an image, which has been captured (or received) through thelens, the camera sensor, etc., to the controller 10, as an image forpreview. The camera controller 61 first converts a captured image signalto digital data through the camera sensor, and converts the abovedigital data to data in a YUV format and then outputs the data in theYUV format to the controller 10. Herein, YUV, which includes a Ycomponent indicating luminance, a U (i.e. Cb) component indicatingchrominance, and a V (i.e. Cr) component indicating chroma, is a schemefor expressing pixels. Since in the YUV scheme, transmission can beperformed in a narrower bandwidth than in a typical RGB scheme, the YUVscheme is suitable for displaying an image for a preview screen.Therefore, the camera controller 61 according to an exemplary embodimentof the present invention converts the image, which has been receivedthrough the lens and the camera sensor, to an image in the YUV format,and then outputs the image in the YUV format to the controller 10, as animage for preview.

Meanwhile, when an output setting related to the camera module 60 is asimultaneous output mode, the camera controller 61 according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention controls the camera module60 to simultaneously output the image, which has been received throughthe lens and the camera sensor, as images of two types including animage for preview and an image for capture. Herein, the image forpreview, which is an image having a lower resolution than the image forcapture obtained by actually capturing a target object, signifies animage which enables the user to previously view the target objectintended to be captured and a composition for capturing the targetobject. For example, when an image obtained by actually capturing thetarget object is the image for capture, an image, which is obtained byconverting this image for capture to an image having a low resolution inorder to fit the preview, can be understood as the image for preview.

The controller 10 may control an overall operation of the portableterminal according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention,and may change and control the operation of the portable terminal by theuser's input provided by the key input unit 27 or the display unit 50.The controller 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention determines whether the camera module 60 simultaneously outputsthe image for preview and the image for capture, based on an outputsetting related to the camera module 60. The operation of the controller10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will becontinuously described with reference to FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a method for capturing an image accordingto an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

In steps S201 and S202, when determining that a user has requestedentrance to a camera mode, the controller 10 identifies an outputsetting related to the camera module 60.

By selecting the execution of a predetermined menu or application andthen driving the camera module 60, the user can request the entrance tothe camera mode. In response to the user's request, the controller 10identifies the output setting related to the camera module 60.

In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, output settingsinclude (1) a simultaneous output mode and (2) a single output mode. Thesimultaneous output mode signifies a mode in which an image, which hasbeen received through the camera module 60 as in an exemplary embodimentof the present invention, is simultaneously output from the cameramodule 60 as an image for preview and an image for capture. The singleoutput mode signifies a mode in which while only an image for preview isfirst displayed by the display unit 50 during a preview mode as in theprior art. If the pressing of a capture key is identified, the cameramodule is changed from the preview mode to a capture mode and then onlyan image for capture is output from the camera module.

In steps S203 and S204, when determining that the output setting is thesimultaneous output mode, the controller 10 controls the cameracontroller 61 to simultaneously output an image for preview and an imagefor capture from the camera module 60, and then controls the displayunit 50 to display the image for preview.

When determining that the output setting is the simultaneous outputmode, the controller 10 of the portable terminal controls the cameracontroller 61 to simultaneously output an image, which has been receivedthrough the lens, the camera sensor, etc., at a predetermined framerate, as the image for preview and the image for capture. Then, thecamera controller 61 simultaneously outputs the image for preview andthe image for capture to the controller 10, as shown in FIG. 3A.

After receiving the image for preview (e.g. a thumbnail image in the YUVformat) and processing (e.g. resizing) the received image for preview inorder to fit a resolution of the display unit 50, the controller 10outputs the resized image for preview through the display unit 50. Theuser identifies a target object, which the user can capture through thecamera module 60, in real-time by using the image for preview which hasbeen resized and is displayed by the display unit 50.

Meanwhile, the controller 10 may continue to temporarily store thereceived images for capture in the memory unit 30, and then secure thecapacity of the memory unit 30 by deleting the relevant received imagesfor capture by predetermined time periods (e.g. 1 second).

In steps S205 and S206, when determining that the user has pressed thecapture key, the controller 10 stores an image for capture correspondingto a time point of the user's pressing the capture key.

When determining a target object, which is intended to be captured, andthe composition of the target object by using the image for previewdisplayed by the display unit 50, the user requests the controller 10 tocapture a desired image by pressing the capture key provided by the keyinput unit 27 or the display unit 50. The controller 10 may store animage for capture (e.g. an image for capture corresponding to an imagefor preview displayed at the time point of the user's pressing thecapture key) corresponding to the time point of the user's pressing thecapture key in response to the user's request. According to user'srequest, the controller 10 may display the stored image (or the storedimages) for capture through the display unit 50.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention describedin steps S204 to S206 as described above, the user can capture an imageat the moment of the user's pressing the shutter key without a shutterlag phenomenon while identifying the image for preview.

In steps S207 to S209, the controller 10 controls the camera controller61 to output only an image for preview from the camera module 60, andthen controls the display unit 50 to display the received image forpreview. When the user presses the capture key, the controller 10changes to a capture mode, and then captures an image and stores thecaptured image.

In steps S207 to S209, a description is made of the example where theresult of the determination in step S203 shows that the output settingis the single output mode which is the same as that of the prior art.

In the single output mode, the controller 10 enters to a preview mode,and then controls the camera controller 61 of the camera module 60 tooutput only an image for preview as shown FIG. 3B. Next, the controller10 receives the image for preview, and then controls the display unit 50to display the received image for preview, after resizing the receivedimage for preview.

Thereafter, when determining that the user has pressed the capture key,the controller 10 changes from the preview mode to a capture mode, andthen receives and stores an image (i.e. an image for capture), which hasbeen captured by the camera module 60. At this time, since a time delayresults from a mode change from the preview mode to the capture mode asdescribed above, an image corresponding to the time point of the user'spressing the capture key and an image, which is captured and then storedafter changing to the capture mode, have their capture time pointsdifferent by the delayed time period.

Meanwhile, when an image for preview and an image for capture aresimultaneously output according to an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention, there is a possible increase in the power consumptionof the portable terminal depending on the load of the camera module 60and the controller 10. Due to the increase in the power consumption ofthe portable terminal, the amount of time used by the portable terminalmay be reduced. Therefore, the present invention may provide a function,by which the display unit 50 may display whether an output setting ofthe camera module 60 is a simultaneous output mode or a single outputmode through the modification of an exemplary embodiment thereof andthen the user may change between the simultaneous output mode and thesingle output mode as the need arises after identifying the displayedmode.

According to the present invention, when an image is captured, bysolving a shutter lag phenomenon caused by a mode change in a cameramodule, it is possible to cause a preview image at a time point ofpressing a capture key to be the same as an actually captured image.

The above-described methods according to the present invention can beimplemented in hardware, firmware or via the execution of software orcomputer code that can be stored in a recording medium such as a CD ROM,an RAM, a floppy disk, a hard disk, or a magneto-optical disk orcomputer code downloaded over a network originally stored on a remoterecording medium or a non-transitory machine readable medium and to bestored on a local recording medium, so that the methods described hereincan be rendered in such software that is stored on the recording mediumusing a general purpose computer, or a special processor or inprogrammable or dedicated hardware, such as an ASIC or FPGA. As would beunderstood in the art, the computer, the processor, microprocessorcontroller or the programmable hardware include memory components, e.g.,RAM, ROM, Flash, etc. that may store or receive software or computercode that when accessed and executed by the computer, processor orhardware implement the processing methods described herein. In addition,it would be recognized that when a general purpose computer accessescode for implementing the processing shown herein, the execution of thecode transforms the general purpose computer into a special purposecomputer for executing the processing shown herein.

While the invention has been shown and described in detail withreference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, the above-describedexemplary embodiments are only for an illustrative purpose and are notmeant to be a limitation of the present invention. Therefore, changes inthe elements, such that an element may be equally replaced by anotherelement in an embodiment of the present invention without departing fromthe technical art or field of the present invention provided by theappended claims, will fall within the scope of the present invention.Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention must bedefined not by the described embodiments thereof but by the appendedclaims and equivalents of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a display; a memory; acamera module; and a controller, the controller configured to: obtain alight signal, via the camera module; generate an image data using thelight signal via the camera module, while generate a preview image datausing the light signal using a resolution corresponding to the display;display the preview image data while temporarily storing the image datain the memory; determine if an input is received at a time that thepreview image data is displayed; and store the image data, in a regionof the memory, corresponding to the preview image data displayed at thetime, based at least in part on the determination.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: obtain the lightsignal using a specified resolution, the specified resolution is higherthan the resolution corresponding to the display.
 3. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: determine if singleoutput mode is selected; and generate only the preview image data whilethe input is not received, based at least in part on the determination.4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:generate, via the camera module, the image data in a JPEG compressedformat or a MPEG compressed format.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe preview image data comprises YUV format data, and wherein thecontroller is configured to: convert, via the camera module, the lightsignal to the YUV format data.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thepreview image data or the image data is generated using a specifiedframe rate.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller isconfigured to: determine if simultaneously output mode is selected; anddisplay an indication representing that the image data is providedsimultaneously with the preview image data via at least one region ofthe display, based at least in part on the determination.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to: deletethe image data from the memory if the input is not received while thepreview image data is displayed.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe controller is configured to: provide the image data via the display.10. A method comprising: obtaining a light signal via a camera moduleoperatively coupled with an electronic device; generating an image datausing the light signal via the camera module, while generating a previewimage data using the light signal using a resolution corresponding to adisplay operatively coupled with the electronic device; displaying thepreview image data while temporarily storing the image data in a memoryoperatively coupled with the electronic device; determining if an inputis received at a time that the preview image data is displayed; andstoring the image data, in a region of the memory, corresponding to thepreview image data displayed at the time, based at least in part on thedetermination.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the obtainingcomprises: obtaining the light signal using a specified resolution, thespecified resolution is higher than the resolution corresponding to thedisplay.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein the generating comprises:determining if single output mode is selected; and generating only thepreview image data while the input is not received, based at least inpart on the determining.
 13. The method of claim 10, wherein thegenerating comprises: generating, via the camera module, the image datain a JPEG compressed format or a MPEG compressed format.
 14. The methodof claim 10, wherein the preview image data comprises YUV format data,and wherein the generating comprises: converting, via the camera module,the light signal to the YUV format data.
 15. The method of claim 10,wherein the preview image data or the image data is generated using aspecified frame rate.
 16. The method of claim 10, wherein the displayingcomprises: determining if simultaneously output mode is selected; anddisplaying an indication representing that the image data is providedsimultaneously with the preview image data via at least one region ofthe display, based at least in part on the determination.
 17. The methodof claim 10, wherein the storing comprises: deleting the image data fromthe memory if the input is not received while the preview image data isdisplayed.
 18. The method of claim 10, wherein further comprises:providing the image data via the display.
 19. A non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, whenexecuted by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors toperform operations comprising: obtaining a light signal via a cameramodule operatively coupled with an electronic device; generating animage data using the light signal via the camera module, whilegenerating a preview image data using the light signal using aresolution corresponding to a display operatively coupled with theelectronic device; displaying the preview image data while temporarilystoring the image data in a memory operatively coupled with theelectronic device; determining if an input is received at a time thatthe preview image data is displayed; and storing the image data, in aregion of the memory, corresponding to the preview image data displayedat the time, based at least in part on the determination.
 20. Thecomputer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the obtainingcomprises: obtaining the light signal using a specified resolution, thespecified resolution is higher than the resolution corresponding to thedisplay.